I know people who constantly run around to deliver their kids. Soccer, swimming, acting, tennis, dance … and they find little, if any, time for themselves. We lived in the city for the past six years, and running my kids to sporting events was not the norm.
Hemophilia 24/7
— Cazandra Campos-MacDonald
Rev. Cazandra Campos-MacDonald is a pastor, author, motivational speaker, and encourager. She lives in New Mexico with her husband, Rev. Dr. Joe MacDonald, and youngest son, Caeleb. Their adult son, Julian, is living the bohemian life of a starving artist and goes wherever there is an audition. Her sons live with severe hemophilia A and inhibitors. Her older brother died shortly after birth due to complications from hemophilia. Cazandra writes candidly of raising two sons with a rare bleeding disorder. She believes storytelling is about redeeming the journey and connecting with others.
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Every week, I lead the pastoral prayer at church. It’s a moment to share what brings us joy and what weighs on our hearts as a congregation and a community. I always pray for the unhoused, the hungry, the grieving, and our country. But there’s one group I often mention…
We are in a new town. A fresh start. My mighty warrior already loves the landscape that allows him to catch frogs and snails and marvel at the rain. When we lived in the desert, the eyes of our little boy didn’t see these things as easily. While…
My family just moved. My husband’s job has led us on another adventure. With moving comes boxes. They are everywhere, and we are in the midst of finding our way in a new house, and a new town. So far, things have gone well despite the stress of moving.
I am a woman who is extremely blessed. I have a roof over my head, food on the table, a little bit of money in my pocket, and two amazing sons. The best part is that I have an amazing husband to share these blessings with on this…
Social media. You either love it or hate it. I must confess that I am guilty of wasting time on Facebook and Twitter, but I have used these outlets as a means of support on more than a few occasions. In the bleeding disorder community, several Facebook groups…
New swimming trunks, sunscreen, cap, sleeping bag — gathering these items means it’s time for hemophilia camp! My son Caeleb is so excited that he is driving his dad and me a little crazy. Two years ago, he broke his wrist the night before camp and wasn’t…
I am a musician who has played in orchestra pits, wind ensembles, chamber groups, and orchestras. I even played antiphonal oboe one Christmas! Music is powerful. It transforms you and allows you to escape for a few hours from the regular happenings of the day. However, most people…
There are moments in life that seem to disappear, while others have burned into my memory. I can remember a moment that took place 20 years ago, and my heart rushes as though it happened only seconds ago. Sometimes that can be a good thing, but sometimes the…
My mighty warrior Caeleb came home from school last week with a question. “Mom,” he asked, “my knee is really messed up, isn’t it?” I couldn’t see an injury, and so I asked him what he meant by “messed up.” “I can’t run really fast like everyone else in gym class,”…
With my oldest son, who is now 21, I never worried about limitations. He played soccer for a season, and that was the extent of his athletic pursuits. He just did not like sports and to this day, he does not understand the basics of a football game,…
I recently spoke to members of the Sangre de Oro Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They are my family. We gathered to “kick off” the upcoming Unite for Bleeding Disorders walk. We had a friendly competition to see whose team…
I couldn’t believe Caeleb was about to get his first dose of Hemlibra (emicizumab-kxwh). I have been following several people whose children participated in the Hemlibra study (NCT02622321) before the Food and Drug Administration approved the therapy, and I saw how it changed their lives. After…
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